Chapter 67

On the stage, Shen Cha and her band finished their performance and exited from the other side.

The host went on stage to interact with the audience: “Just now, Teacher Shen Cha’s performance can be said to have captivated everyone. I could even hear the heartbeat from the audience. Do you all think it was beautiful?”

The audience cheered loudly, and the host continued, “Now, please welcome the last group of mentors and bands to collaborate. Shall we shout out their names together?”

“Qin Qingzhuo” and “Asperatus” were shouted out by the audience, mixed together and not distinct, but the high spirits quickly spread throughout the entire studio.

Qin Qingzhuo calmly took a deep breath and looked at the three members of the band. “Let’s go.”

“Lead the way, mentor.” Jiang Ji stepped aside to give him room.

In such situations, there was nothing much to yield, so Qin Qingzhuo walked in front of Jiang Ji and led the three members of the band onto the stage.

As soon as they appeared, the shouts from the audience erupted like an explosion, even louder than before.

Seeing the group standing on stage, the host continued to interact with the audience.

“Do you all remember the last time you saw Qin Qingzhuo on stage?”

“Four years ago!” the audience shouted back.

“Do you also remember the last song you heard Qin Qingzhuo sing on stage?”

“Fall Into My Dream!”

“So, are you all looking forward to this long-awaited performance?”

“We are!”

“Next, everyone, get ready your ears to listen to this performance of ‘Fall Into My Dream Remix: Light Peck’ played by the Asperatus band and sung by Mentor Qin Qingzhuo!”

Instantly, applause erupted from the audience, as if thunder had struck.

However, Qin Qingzhuo was completely stunned.

Earlier interactions between the host and the audience made him uncomfortable, but he dismissed it as the host hyping up the atmosphere.

But now, what was happening? He had clearly agreed with Shi Yao to inform the host in advance and only handle the guitar part. So why did the host still announce that he would be singing?

Several spotlights converged on Qin Qingzhuo’s body, and time seemed to stand still. Standing on stage, Qin Qingzhuo could see the faces of everyone below, hundreds of people, each with a different expression.

There were genuine expectations, forced enthusiasm, excited faces, and even indifferent ones just waiting to see what would happen.

It felt like he was suddenly back on the stage of the concert four years ago. Each response from the audience below was deafening, but to him, it sounded muffled and weak, as if through a thick wall.

In contrast, the noise in his body became noisy.

First, there was ringing in his left ear, then his right ear began to emit a continuous crackling sound like electricity.

Every breath felt like a hurricane rushing into his ears.

His heart also made loud pounding sounds, heavy as if a hammer was striking his blocked eardrums.

A voice suddenly appeared in his mind—”Qingzhuo, I also want to tell you that this condition can fully recover, but the fact is, it’s very difficult, extremely difficult, so we can only try to reduce its recurrence frequency…”

For four years, every time he had to sing again, it would always come as scheduled.

More punctual than anything else.

He didn’t even want to sing this time, so why did it still appear? Qin Qingzhuo felt annoyed, thinking, isn’t this endless…

His arm was suddenly touched, and Qin Qingzhuo abruptly snapped out of it, turning to look at Jiang Ji.

Jiang Ji noticed that Qin Qingzhuo was not acting as confidently as usual, looking a bit agitated and uncomfortable.

“What’s wrong?” Jiang Ji mouthed to him, “Uncomfortable?”

Or maybe it wasn’t mouthing, Qin Qingzhuo thought, maybe it’s just that I can’t hear clearly.

Qin Qingzhuo shook his head, trying to calm himself down.

He adjusted his earpiece and addressed the audience, “Ladies and gentlemen, I’m truly sorry. There might have been a miscommunication from the production team. I’ve already informed the director in advance that Jiang Ji will be in charge of singing in this performance, and I’ll only handle the guitar part.”

As he finished speaking, he adjusted his earpiece again. Though his voice wasn’t loud, it sounded unbearable to him.

As soon as he finished speaking, the audience below erupted into commotion.

The previously high expectations had been raised to the sky, and now, hearing that he wouldn’t be singing, complaints arose from the audience—

“What’s this ah? All our anticipation was for nothing!”

“Such a disappointment…”

“Why stop singing just like that!”

“Why is it only you who won’t sing? Other mentors all sang…”

“Is this respecting the rules of the show or not!”

…

The crackling ringing in his ears grew louder and louder, and the wall blocking between his ears and the outside world became thicker and heavier.

The murmurs from the audience below, in Qin Qingzhuo’s eyes, seemed like a silent film, where he could only see the lips of hundreds of people moving but couldn’t hear what they were saying.

Probably because he couldn’t hear clearly, the expressions of complaint and disgust from the audience became even clearer to him.

At first, these complaints were only spreading in small circles, with most people just whispering to those around them. But suddenly, a member of the audience in the front row stood up, raised their voice, and shouted towards the stage, questioning:

“Qin Qingzhuo, it’s been four years, and you haven’t sung a word. Are you fair to your fans who support you? Why can’t you sing for us just once!”

This voice drowned out the whole scene of whispers, and the entire audience stopped, their gaze converging on Qin Qingzhuo, waiting for his response.

The sharp and high-pitched ringing in his brain continued to echo deep in his mind, like the continuous and piercing buzz of a malfunctioning electrical device.

His skull felt like it was being cut back and forth by a blunt saw, the dull pain along with the stinging sensation in his eardrums coming through clearly.

Qin Qingzhuo pressed his left hand against the earpiece, the intense dizziness from the ringing making it impossible for him to think clearly, even standing firm became somewhat difficult.

Suddenly, a hand reached out and grabbed his arm, firmly supporting him—it was Jiang Ji.

“The Asperatus band withdraws from this performance.”

Jiang Ji held Qin Qingzhuo’s arm and spoke into the microphone.

There was an immediate uproar from the audience below.

Without waiting for everyone to react, Jiang Ji pulled Qin Qingzhuo and quickly led him away from the stage.

Peng Keshi and Zhong Yang exchanged a glance and quickly followed suit.

Jiang Ji pulled Qin Qingzhuo along quickly, and some staff caught up from behind, but he ignored them and kept moving forward on his own.

For a stretch of the journey, Qin Qingzhuo had no idea where they were headed. His mind was in chaos, filled with hundreds of faces contorted with disgust, and the number of those faces seemed to increase, including the tens of thousands of spectators from four years ago, all crowded in.

His brain felt stuffed to the brim, the shrill buzzing continuing, as if brewing a violent explosion.

He could only feel Jiang Ji tightly gripping his wrist, their steps quickening more and more until they were almost running.

The cacophony of footsteps, rapid breathing, noisy chatter, sizzling electrical currents, sharp buzzing… all blended together, making it impossible for him to distinguish which sounds were in his head and which were real.

Jiang Ji pulled Qin Qingzhuo into the elevator, followed closely by Zhong Yang and Peng Keshi.

As the elevator doors closed, Qin Qingzhuo leaned against the back wall, closed his eyes, and let out a heavy sigh.

Jiang Ji turned to look at him, noticing Qin Qingzhuo’s pale complexion, the color drained from his lips, a thin layer of sweat on his forehead, furrowed brows, clearly showing signs of discomfort.

He resembled how he looked when he had a fever that morning.

Jiang Ji released his arm and removed the earpiece from his ear.

Qin Qingzhuo’s ear bones were thin, almost translucent under the light, revealing tiny hairs on the surface and three very small ear holes.

His movements were gentle, and when Qin Qingzhuo opened his eyes, he saw Jiang Ji looking at him with a furrowed brow, eyes filled with concern.

Peng Keshi and Zhong Yang opposite them also wore worried expressions.

As Jiang Ji’s lips moved, as if saying something.

“What?” Qin Qingzhuo shifted his gaze to Jiang Ji’s lips.

In an instant, Jiang Ji had a sudden guess in his mind.

Several images flashed through his mind—the night Qin Qingzhuo found out about Ji Chi’s affair and got drunk, the morning he had a fever, and the moments before Jiang Ji kissed Qin Qingzhuo for the first time…

Initially, when he noticed Qin Qingzhuo staring at his lips, he thought it was just one of Qin Qingzhuo’s habits.

But now, it seemed like it wasn’t that simple.

“You…”

As Jiang Ji started to say “you,” he stopped himself, refraining from adding the second part, “can’t hear clearly, right?”

“Feeling better?” He changed the question.

“Yeah,” Qin Qingzhuo looked at his lips and nodded, “I’m fine now.”

Having escaped the stage, he finally felt a bit better.

It was thanks to Jiang Ji pulling him away in time. Otherwise, if he had stayed on stage, he didn’t know what kind of embarrassing scene might have unfolded.

Now that the earpiece was removed and the surroundings had quietened down, the shrill ringing in his head wasn’t as piercing. Although the buzzing in his ears continued, the sounds around him could finally seep through, albeit still muffled as if behind a wall.

“Sorry,” he looked at the three members of the band, “for this competition…”

“Forget about it,” Zhong Yang interjected, “We don’t care about this stupid advantage. That damn Shi Yao must have deliberately arranged it like this. Next time I meet him alone, I’ll make sure he…”

Zhong Yang spoke rapidly, and Qin Qingzhuo only caught the gist of it. He shook his head and didn’t say anything.

“Stop the nonsense,” Peng Keshi interrupted Zhong Yang, then turned to Qin Qingzhuo, “Brother Qingzhuo, go to the hospital earlier, don’t delay. Let Jiang Ji take you.”

“No need,” Qin Qingzhuo barely suppressed his discomfort, glanced at the elevator buttons, “Go to the parking lot on the negative one floor. Let the driver take me back to rest. You guys go upstairs and talk to Chen Jia properly. See if you can continue with the competition.”

“Do you still want us to continue playing, Qingzhuo? Your temper is too good.” Zhong Yang complained, “It’s all intentional by the production team. They even mentioned what happened four years ago. It’s because of that concert four years ago that you…”

Jiang Ji frowned and glanced at him.

Zhong Yang suddenly realized his mistake and nudged Jiang Ji with his shoulder, signaling him to continue.

After a moment of silence, Jiang Ji spoke up, “You don’t need to worry about us. Whether we get those fifty thousand votes or win the championship, it doesn’t matter to us. Even without this show, we can still survive.”

Qin Qingzhuo felt a headache coming on. Of course, he hoped Asperatus would win the championship, but he wouldn’t go to such lengths just for the title. What he was truly worried about was Jiang Ji leaving in anger because of him, which would subject him to suspicion and abuse. It would also label Asperatus as unruly.

Once labeled, they might end up like him, unable to move on.

“I understand your thoughts, but…” Qin Qingzhuo didn’t continue. He looked at Peng Keshi. Among these three, Peng Keshi was the most mature and rational one. “Keshi, you should go talk to Chen Jia. The production team shouldn’t give you too much trouble.”

Peng Keshi shook her head, “Brother Qingzhuo, stop thinking about the performance. Go back and rest early. Let’s be frank, I know you’re doing this for our good, but no matter what, we won’t sacrifice your dignity to get this opportunity. Whether it’s fame or infamy, everyone has their own way of living, right?”

She spoke firmly, and Qin Qingzhuo sighed softly.

They were young after all, only they could say such things.

In the end, this show wasn’t in vain.

The elevator descended to the negative one floor, and the group walked towards the parking lot outside.

Qin Qingzhuo then noticed Jiang Ji was still holding his arm. He didn’t say anything and let Jiang Ji hold him.

When the driver waiting in the parking lot saw Qin Qingzhuo from afar, he came over and opened the car door for him. “Mr. Qin, what’s wrong? Are you feeling unwell?”

“I’m fine,” Qin Qingzhuo turned to the three members of the band, “I’m getting in the car. You guys go back early.”

“I’ll take you back,” Jiang Ji said, looking at him.

“Jiang Ji, you all go together,” Qin Qingzhuo said, “I’m fine.”

“I’ll take you home,” Jiang Ji repeated, this time adding a reason, “and I’ll pick up Jiang Bei on the way.”

The reason seemed perfectly legitimate, so Qin Qingzhuo nodded without further ado and lowered himself into the car.

Jiang Ji tossed the motorcycle keys to Zhong Yang, saying, “Ride the bike back for me,” then walked around to the other side of the car and sat beside Qin Qingzhuo.

After bidding farewell to Peng Keshi and Zhong Yang, Jiang Ji closed the door, and Qin Qingzhuo rubbed his left ear.

The sizzling electrical currents continued incessantly, discomforting him.

The driver took his place behind the wheel and asked, “Mr. Qin, do you want to go to the hospital?”

“No need,” Qin Qingzhuo shook his head, “just go home.”

“Alright then,” the driver complied, starting the car.

Jiang Ji turned to look at Qin Qingzhuo. His complexion was still pale, and he looked thoroughly exhausted.

It wasn’t just physical discomfort; it was a kind of weariness that seemed to emanate from deep within, a bit of world-weariness.

Since knowing Qin Qingzhuo, Jiang Ji had never seen him like this. Even when he had a fever that morning, Qin Qingzhuo hadn’t seemed this despondent.

“Still feeling bad?” Jiang Ji asked. “Should we go to the hospital first?”

Qin Qingzhuo remained silent, just gently shaking his head.

After a moment’s thought, Jiang Ji turned to the driver in the front seat. “Zhao, let’s make a stop at Pujie.”

He didn’t know why Qin Qingzhuo was resisting going to the hospital, but given the current situation, it seemed like the right thing to do.

“Jiang Ji, don’t be presumptuous,” Qin Qingzhuo suddenly raised his voice slightly, his tone becoming somewhat firm. “I said we don’t need to.”

His displeasure was palpable, and it brought a slight tension to the atmosphere in the car.

Jiang Ji didn’t say anything, just continued to look at him.

He could clearly see a hint of irritability flicker across Qin Qingzhuo’s face when he spoke—Qin Qingzhuo was usually gentle, and in all this time, Jiang Ji had never seen him display such irritation.

But soon, Qin Qingzhuo closed his eyes and suppressed the emotions in his eyes, his tone returning to normal quickly. “Let’s just go home and rest for a while.”

He finished speaking, closed his eyes, turned his face toward the window, and fell silent.

Jiang Ji stared at him for a while, then sighed almost imperceptibly.

TN

Fck I hate Sht Yao!